place



(No Model.)

' 3 Sheets-Sheet 1. J. PLACE. MOLDING MECHANISM FOR LINUTYPE MACHINES.

No. 576,414. Patented Feb. 2,1897.

awvewtoz- (No Model.) 3 sheets -sheet 2.

J. PLACE.

MOLDING MECHANISM FOR LINOTYPE mcnmns.

Patented Feb. 2, 18'97.

WWI mam Wmm (No Model.) a SheetsSheet a.

, J. PLACE. MOLDING MECHANISM FOR LINOTYPE MACHINES.

No. 576,414. Patented Feb. 2, 1897.

fig. 6'-

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN PLACE, OF LONDON, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR 'lO THE MERGENTHALER LINOTYPE COMPANY, OF NElV YORK, N. Y.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 576,414, dated February 2, 1897. Application filed September 5, 1896. Serial No. 604,971. (No model.) Patented in England D mber 21, 1894:,11'0- 124,870.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, JOHN PLACE, a subject of the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, residing at London, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in the Molding Mechanism of Linotype Machines, (for which I have obtained the following patent: Great Britain and Ireland, No. 24,870, dated December 21, 1894;) and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, which are to be taken as part of this specification and read therewith, and one which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My inventionrelates to improvements in i the molding mechanism of linotype-machines;

and the object of it is to provide means for stopping off the mold when linotypes shorter than the maximum length are required to be made in the machine.

The actual mold of a linotype-machine consists, as constructed heretofore, of four members-a top member, a bottom member, and two end members or liners --all of which are held together in a way proper for producing a block having a mold-cavity through it of definite length and otherwise sized to the dimensions of the linotype-bodies. One jaw of the vise in which is held the assembled'line of matrices and space-bars is automatically adjustable in respect of the working distance between it and its fellow, but the said actual mold must be replaced by another having a mold-cavity of another length each time that linotypes of another length are to be made. A corresponding change in the width of the ejector-blade is also necessary when the line is longer than the one cast before.

According to the present invention the above-mentioned adjustable jaw is provided with a projection of the proper dimensions to form the filling-piece or lin er of the respective end of the mold-block, which liner projects from the jaw in question in the direction of the mold-cavity. Consequently the adjustmentof the jaw above mentioned effects the corresponding alteration in the length of the mold-cavity, and as it is the maximum length of the mold-cavity which is always exposed to the action of the ejectorblade no change of the latter is called for.

Referring 1.0 the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a part sectional side elevation of the vise and molding mechanism. Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the vise and vise-frame. Fig. 3 is a part sectional plan of Fig. 1 after the removal of the top member of the moldblock.

6018 the mold-wheel, and bis the mold-block,

fast thereto. Tlhe mold wheel and block re- (speaking as from the front of the machine) which the assembled line of matrices and space-bars is temporarily held by the vertically-movable yoke (see Specification No. 436,532) and up against which the said yoke and line are pressed by the mold-block b at the end of the above-mentioned motion of approach. This abutment cl is supported at the top of a frame 6, which is attached to the main frame of the machine and is in this specification referred to as the vise-frame.

f g are the two jaws of the vise. It is between them that the line of matrices and space-bars is clamped longitudinally. One of these jaws, the one f on the right hand of the operator, is, as far as the present invention is concerned, stationary. The jaw g is moved back longitudinally from its fellow upon a suitable guide-surface h by a horizontally-moving finger L, identical in construction and operation with the finger L of Patent No. 436,532, and which engages with an upstanding finger g thereon. Further, the jaw is toothed along its front face at g to adapt it to be engaged by a spring-actinated pawl g as the series of teeth is pushed ICO fast upon the arm 2'.

past the latter. This engagement is necessary to prevent the premature return of the jaw g up to the jaw f before the line of matrices and space-bars is inserted between them, as described in the said Specification No. 436,532. This jaw g is returned to the stationary jaw f by an arm 1'. This is swung toward the right hand of the operator by any suitable spring or equivalent mechanism. The top of the arm 2' has a finger j pivoted upon it. The upturned tipj of this finger engages in a hole in the under side of the jaw g and is kept engaged therein by a spiral spring Z; in tension on the rod 11 between the opposite end of the finger 1L and a block 7a,

This returning mechanism replaces the spring 29 of the Specification No. 436,532.

Z is the projection or movable liner on the rear face of the jaw g. The length of it rearward from the rear face of the jaw is equal to the width of the mold-cavity o, as clearly illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3. The thickness of it is exactly equal to the corresponding dimension of the mold-cavity, while the width of it is enough to prevent it giving way under the pressure generated in the mold during the cast and to generally, in combination with the other two dimensions, enable it to act as the liner at the left-hand end of the mold-cavity. The operative edge of the liner Z is necessarily alined with the face of the jaw g.

m is a distance-piece fixed between the top and bottom members of the mold-block at the left-hand end of it, the fixed liner Z) acting as a distance-piece at the opposite end of it. The inner edge of the distance-piece m serves as a stop for the adjustable liner Z.

It is evident that the present invention necessitates the elongation of the mold-cavity. The maximum length of this latter must be the length of the longest linotype the machine is to turn out plus the width of the adjustable liner m, whatever that may be.

The line of matrices and space bars is gripped as in a vise between the jaws fg, and this is effected by means of a screw 71, supported in a horizontal bearing, in which it is capable of only a rotary motion about its axis, and engaging in a nut or block 0, adapted to slide upon the surface 7t behind the jaw g. There is fast on the left-hand (outer) end of the screw a toothed segment 19, which is actuated by a vertically-reciprocatin g rack bar q. The latter is operated at and during the proper time and term from or by any suitable moving member of the machine.

1" is an arm projecting from a disk axially fast to the segment 29 and screw or in the proper position to be acted upon by the end of the rack-bar q and to slide upon the face of the said bar as the latter moves up or down after its teeth are disengaged from those of the segment 1). This arm '1" serves as a lever against which the rack-bar q acts with great advantage to assist in turning the screw it,

and it further serves as a rest or stop to bear against the face of the rack-bar q to prevent backward rotation in the said screw and to thus relieve the ends of the segment-teeth from the customary friction and wear to which they would be subjected by the said rack-bar sliding against them. Vhen the latter is fully elevated and when the parts are subjected to the severest strain by the wedging action of the space-bars exerted during the act of j ustifying the line of matrices and space-bars in the vise, the screw is held firmly by the arm 1, resting against the smooth face of the rackbar g, which is carried upward, as usual, until its teeth are beyond the pinion.

s is a pin standing up from the pawl g and in the path of the yoke above mentioned when it descends with its line of matrices and space-bars. If is a rod presenting its top likewise up in the said path. The engagement of the yoke with the pin 5 frees the jaw g from detention by the pawl 9 while that with the rod t frees the mechanism, which in its turn allows the casting to take place. The said mechanism, as well as the connecting mechanism, is not included in the figures, for the reason that it is not affected by the in vcntion.

The operation of the present invention will be understood by a reference to Figs. 1 and 3. Te will assume that yesterday the machine was casting linotypes of the maximum length. In that case the movable liner Z was back against the stop on each time aline of matrices and space-bars was held by the yoke between the jaws f and g, and for any variation in length of linotype that yesterdays work demanded the said liner might as well have been a fixture. But to-days work is on shorter linotypes, the length indicated in the figure between the liners Z and b in Fig. The mold-cavity adapts itself automatically to the changed requirement, because through out both the motion of the jaw g from the jaw f, due to the action of the above-mentioned horizontally-moving member of the machine, as well as throughout the gripping motion imparted by the screw n, the liner Z is carried by the jaw g, their operative faces being always in line. After the cast the mold-wheel a is put through its motion of retrogression, at the end of which it is clear of the movable liner Z, so that an ejector-blade of the maximum width can enter and clear the moldcavity 0 of everything in it, whether that be a full-sized linotype or a short one, with, perhaps, a waste piece cast between the liner Z and the stop m.

I claim- 1. In a linotype-machine, the combination of the slotted mold, and a movable matrix clamping jaw having a liner to enter the mold and determine the length of its operative portion.

2. In a linotype-machine, a mold having a slot wherein the linotypes are formed, in combination with a liner to determine the operof an adjustable vise-jaw, and a liner fixed thereon and having its operative face alined with that of the jaw, and a mold-block having I 5 a cavity adapted to receive said liner.

In witness whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature, in presence of two witnesses, this 25th day of March, 1896.

JOHN PLACE.

Witnesses CHAS. S. WooDRoFFE, ROBT. A. BLAKE. 

